title: Real-time electrocardiogram transmission from Mount Everest during continued ascent.
abstract: The feasibility of a real-time electrocardiogram (ECG) transmission via satellite phone from Mount Everest to determine a climber's suitability for continued ascent was examined. Four Taiwanese climbers were enrolled in the 2009 Mount Everest summit program. Physiological measurements were taken at base camp (5300 m), camp 2 (6400 m), camp 3 (7100 m), and camp 4 (7950 m) 1 hour after arrival and following a 10 minute rest period. A total of 3 out of 4 climbers were able to summit Mount Everest successfully. Overall, ECG and global positioning system (GPS) coordinates of climbers were transmitted in real-time via satellite phone successfully from base camp, camp 2, camp 3, and camp 4. At each camp, Resting Heart Rate (RHR) was transmitted and recorded: base camp (54-113 bpm), camp 2 (94-130 bpm), camp 3 (98-115 bpm), and camp 4 (93-111 bpm). Real-time ECG and GPS coordinate transmission via satellite phone is feasible for climbers on Mount Everest. Real-time RHR data can be used to evaluate a climber's physiological capacity to continue an ascent and to summit.
authors.affiliation: Department of Emergency and Critical Care Medicine, Taipei Medical University Hospital, Taipei, Taiwan. wfkao100a@hotmail.com.tw
authors.forename: Wei-Fong
authors.initials: WF
authors.lastname: Kao
authors.forename: Jyh-How
authors.initials: JH
authors.lastname: Huang
authors.forename: Terry B J
authors.initials: TB
authors.lastname: Kuo
authors.forename: Po-Lun
authors.initials: PL
authors.lastname: Chang
authors.forename: Wen-Chen
authors.initials: WC
authors.lastname: Chang
authors.forename: Kuo-Hung
authors.initials: KH
authors.lastname: Chan
authors.forename: Wen-Hsiung
authors.initials: WH
authors.lastname: Liu
authors.forename: Shih-Hao
authors.initials: SH
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.forename: Tzu-Yao
authors.initials: TY
authors.lastname: Su
authors.forename: Hsiu-chen
authors.initials: HC
authors.lastname: Chiang
authors.forename: Jin-Jong
authors.initials: JJ
authors.lastname: Chen
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000531:Altitude; D004562:Electrocardiography / Q000295:instrumentation / Q000379:methods*; D005240:Feasibility Studies; D005260:Female; D006339:Heart Rate / Q000502:physiology; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D008991:Monitoring, Physiologic / Q000379:methods; D009051:Mountaineering / Q000502:physiology*; D011446:Prospective Studies; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D017215:Satellite Communications